A plane carrying Jewish immigrants from Ukraine arrives at Ben-Gurion Airport in 2022. Photo by Menahem Kahana/AFP, Getty Images
Written by Beth Harpas April 17, 2024
The number of Jews immigrating to Israel has fallen by 43% in the six months since Hamas’ October 7 attack.
From April to September 2023, 23,073 people immigrated to Israel under the Law of Return. From October 2023 to March 2024, that number decreased to 12,977.
The statistics were provided by the Jewish Agency for Israel, which receives funding from the Jewish Federations of North America and other donors. JAFI represents the Israeli government in determining the eligibility of people wishing to immigrate to Israel under the Law of Return. The Law of Return entitles people with at least one Jewish grandparent and his or her spouse to Israeli citizenship.
From October 2022 to March 2023, 41,007 people immigrated to Israel, triple the figure for the same six-month period last year. However, these numbers reflect a surge in immigration from Russia and Ukraine due to the outbreak of war in Ukraine. JAFI spokesperson Yigal Palmor says:
Yael Katzman, a spokeswoman for Nefesh B’Nefesh, an aliyah advocacy group in the United States and Canada, cautioned against blaming attacks alone for the decline over the past six months. Katzman said there are typically more migrants in the summer than in the fall or winter.
Immigration from the United States has decreased by 42% over the past six months, with 1,590 Americans immigrating to Israel from April 2023 to September 2023, compared to 1,590 Americans from October 2023 to March 2024. There were 917 people. Year-on-year sales from October to March also decreased. However, from October 2022 to March 2023, 1,051 Americans immigrated to Israel, a decline of only 13%.
Trends may soon reverse
Katzman and Palmore both said they expect this trend to reverse soon. Katzman said Nefesh Bunefesh has seen applications for aliyah double since Oct. 7, even though some applicants are still waiting for the plan to be implemented.
Katzman said that historically, in times of crisis, “people who might otherwise have been sitting on the fence are driven to immigrate to Israel. It is the ultimate expression of determination.
Palmall agreed. “Since the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas and the ensuing war in Gaza, the number of olim (migrants making aliyah) has understandably declined. Some olim candidates have put their plans on hold. “While some have found it impossible to book a flight,” Palmore said, “we have seen a significant increase in aliyah requests, primarily in the United States and France, but also in Canada and the United Kingdom.” “This means that the tide will definitely turn in the coming months when the security situation stabilizes.” That’s what we all want. ”
A new company called Belong launched earlier this month to capitalize on that spirit, offering migration services for immigrants to Israel for $270 (about 1,000 Israeli shekels) a month. These services include assistance with finding housing, jobs, and schools, as well as guidance on applying for government aid, bank loans, and more. CEO Eilon Gilland said the company believes anti-Semitism has been on the rise around the world since Oct. 7 and will ultimately “drive Jews to Israel.”
The top seven countries sending immigrants to Israel in all three periods were Russia, the United States, Ukraine, Belarus, France, Argentina, and Canada.
Beth Harpas is a reporter for the Forward. She previously worked for The Associated Press, first covering breaking news and politics, where she then served as editor of AP Travel. Email: harpaz@forward.com.
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